Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Work handled in bulk or groups
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-16
2002-11-26
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Work handled in bulk or groups
C134S042000, C510S421000, C510S475000, C510S476000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06484735
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to liquid compositions for cleaning hard-surfaces, especially those soiled with greasy stains and/or burnt/sticky food residues typically found in kitchens.
BACKGROUND
Liquid compositions for cleaning hard-surfaces have been disclosed in the art. Much of the focus for such compositions has been on providing outstanding cleaning on a variety of soils. Indeed, it is known to include certain polymers in generally hard surface cleaning compositions so as to obtain either a primary cleaning benefit when the compositions are first used on a hard surface treated therewith or a secondary cleaning benefit by modification of the hard surface so as to minimise or even prevent soil redeposition or otherwise facilitate repeated cleaning. However, such compositions are not fully satisfactory as consumers are looking for hard-surface cleaning compositions that are efficient in both the first time and next-time (subsequent) cleaning performance provided on a hard-surface treated therewith, especially the grease cleaning performance.
The object of the present invention is thus to formulate a liquid hard-surface cleaning composition providing both excellent first time and next-time cleaning benefit on various soils, especially greasy soils and/or burnt/sticky food residues typically found in kitchens.
Furthermore a drawback associated with conventional liquid hard-surface cleaning compositions is that their stability against bacterial contamination is not satisfactory from a formulator point of view. Indeed, bacterial instability can result in consumer noticeable drawbacks like color instability and/or odor instability of the compositions. The conventional response to this problem can be to add a bacteriocide agent such as glutaraldehyde. However, such agents have the drawbacks that they may impart unfavourable odour to the compositions and increase the final composition cost. Formulators are thus looking for alternative solutions.
It is thus another object of the present invention to formulate a liquid hard-surface cleaning composition providing both excellent first time and next-time cleaning benefit on various soils while exhibiting improved stability against bacterial contamination.
It has now been found that these objects can be met by formulating a liquid composition having a pH above 9, and comprising a particular antiresoiling ingredient, namely a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with an alkylenically unsaturated monomer or mixtures thereof and preferably a quaternized or unquaternized vinylpyrrolidone/dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate or methacrylate copolymer. Indeed, it has surprisingly been found that the use of such a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with an alkylenically unsaturated monomer as defined herein, and especially of a quaternized or unquaternized vinylpyrrolidone/dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate or methacrylate copolymer, in a liquid composition having a pH above 9, provides both improved first time and next-time cleaning performance on the surface treated therewith at low total level of antiresoiling ingredients. Furthermore, it has been found that improved stability against bacterial contamination is obtained by formulating a liquid composition comprising a copolymer as defined herein, at a pH above 9.
An advantage of the present invention is that the first and next-time cleaning performance are obtained with the compositions according to the present invention on various types of stains/soils while delivering good surface appearance onto said surfaces.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the liquid compositions of the present invention may be used to clean hard-surfaces made of a variety of materials like glazed and non-glazed ceramic tiles, vinyl, no-wax vinyl, linoleum, melamine, glass, plastics, plastified wood, both in neat and diluted conditions, e.g., up to a dilution level of 1:200 (composition water).
The following patent applications are representative of the prior art. WO 94/26858 discloses a liquid hard-surface composition (pH 2-8) with nonionic surfactants (1-30%) and anionic polymers having an average molecular weight of less than 1,000,000, said polymers being free of quaternary nitrogen groups. Said compositions bring a surprising initial cleaning benefit in addition to the anti-soiling benefit. Indeed, WO 94/26858 discloses that acrylic, methacrylic and maleic anhydride derivatives such as copolymers of styrene with maleic produce a streak-free finish after drying.
EP-A-374 471 discloses liquid hard-surface cleaning compositions which are formulated to leave on the surface treated a protective barrier layer which serves to protect the surface against further soil deposition. These compositions comprise a polyethylene glycol alkylphenyl ether, lecithin and an aminofunctional polydimethylsiloxane copolymer as a protective barrier compound and one or more glycols. No copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone with an alkylenically unsaturated monomer or mixtures thereof are disclosed.
EP-A-635 567 discloses liquid compositions for cleaning solid surfaces comprising a cleaning agent capable of being deposited on the surface during cleaning and of forming a dried layer adhered to the surface, said layer having a cohesive strength such that at least outermost surface portion of the layer is removable by further washing. Polyvinylpyrrolidone is disclosed. No copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone with an alkylenically unsaturated monomer or mixtures thereof are disclosed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses a liquid hard-surface cleaning composition having a pH above 9 and comprising a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with an alkylenically unsaturated monomer or mixtures thereof.
The present invention also encompasses a process of cleaning hard-surfaces wherein a liquid composition as defined herein above, is contacted with said surfaces.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The Liquid Compositions
The compositions according to the present invention, particularly suitable for the cleaning of a hard-surface, are liquid compositions. The liquid compositions of the present invention are preferably but not necessarily formulated as aqueous compositions. Aqueous compositions typically comprise from 50% to 99% by weight of the total composition of water, preferably from 60% to 95%, and more preferably from 80% to 95%.
The liquid compositions herein are formulated at a pH above 9, preferably above 10, more preferably from 10.1 to 12 and most preferably from 10.5 to 11. The pH of the compositions herein can be adjusted by any of the means well-known to those skilled in the art such as alkalinising agents like NaOH, KOH, K2CO3, Na2CO3 and the like.
The compositions according to the present invention comprise as an essential ingredient a copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and alkylenically unsaturated monomer or mixtures thereof. Typically, the compositions of the present invention comprise from 0.01% to 20% by weight of the total composition of a copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and alkylenically unsaturated monomer or a mixture thereof, preferably from 0.01% to 10%, more preferably from 0.1% to 5% and most preferably from 0.2% to 2%.
The N-vinylpyrrolidone of the copolymers suitable to be used herein has the following repeating monomer:
wherein n (degree of polymerisation) is an integer of from 10 to 1,000,000,
preferably from 20 to 100,000 and more preferably from 20 to 10,000. Alkylenically unsaturated monomers of the copolymers suitable to bee used herein include unsaturated dicarboxylic acids such as maleic acid, chloromaleic acid, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, citraconic acid, phenylmaleic acid, aconitic acid, acrylic acid, and vinyl acetate. Any of the anhydrides of the unsaturated acids may be employed, for example acrylate, methacrylate. Aromatic monomers like styrene, sulphonated styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, vinyl toluene, t-butyl styrene and similar well known monomers may be used.
The molecular weight of the copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and alkylenically unsaturated monomers or mixtures thereof, is not especially
Gordon Neil James
Theophile Marc François
Camp Jason J.
Gupta Yogendra N.
Mruk Brian P.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Waugh Kevin L.
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